


Servant Life

by CharlotteGoldfinch



Category: The Hobbit, battle of the five armies - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 20:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3461627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlotteGoldfinch/pseuds/CharlotteGoldfinch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melia is a new civilian in Laketown, and a new handmaiden to the bowman Bard. However are there going to be others wanting her services?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Servant Life

**Author's Note:**

> a/n - apologies for the terrible formatting.

In all honesty, Melia couldn't exactly believe that she was a handmaiden in Lake Town. She couldn't believe that she was working as a handmaiden for the Bowman Bard and his family. Since his wife had passed on, Bard's daughters were the head of the house chores. They cooked, cleaned, and ran errands when their brother Bain was busy. However when Melia arrived in Lake Town looking for work Bard was just delighted to take her in,  saying how it would benefit his daughters without them being clogged up with chores.  
She thought it would be an easy job, a small family, a small house. But Melia was wrong. Since the Bowman had been appointed the role Mayor of Laketown after the former mayor was killed when the dragon Smaug was slain by the bowman himself, Melia had much more work. She had to make sure that he awoke on time every morning, sew his clothes (which were constantly falling apart at the end of each day) and make breakfast. When he left the house, she had to cook and clean after the daughters and son of Bard. Melia had to constantly tell the daughters that she could handle the task of cleaning the house, and that they should enjoy their young lives whilst they had the opportunity.  
\---  
Up until the age of 15 years, Melia always had somebody else looking over her. Her own servant, per say. However, once Melia reached the age of 18, her mother and father decided it was time for her to leave and find somewhere to work for herself. Her bags were packed and a barge was leaving the next day, and she was told to get off wherever the boat stopped. A three day journey and minimal food and water later, she arrived in Lake Town, which had just recuperated from Smaug's attack. Melia tidied herself up, pulling her bags behind her. Arriving at the main hall of Laketown, she walked up the steps, only to be stopped by Alfrid.  
"And who are you, Madam? I don't recall seeing you here before," he quizzed. Alfrid could be described as a rat. He looked like one, spoke like one, even acted like one.  
"Oh, I, I'm Melia. I am indeed a new resident in this here town. I was told by the barge man that many servants had been killed during the rampage of Smaug the Magnificent," she stuttered out.  
"So you're looking for a position to work?" Alfrid said. "Well, we could put you on the waiting list, Miss Melia, but don't think yourself the only person wanting to work here. In fact, the list is so long it took up the whole--"  
"Are you bothering a potential resident, Alfrid?" A voice came and interrupted the rat. "Do excuse Alfrid, Miss..."  
"Melia... I mean, my name is Melia, Master..." she stopped, waiting to be told his name, and she gave him a curtsey as she had been taught by her mother to do when addressing a man she didn't know.  
"Miss Melia, do excuse Alfrid and his putrid behaviour. I am Bard - Mayor and Civilian of Laketown. I overheard that you were looking to work?"  
"Yes, but Alfrid told me that there were many people wanting work too."  
"Don't believe a word of what Alfrid speaks, Melia," he muttered. "Come inside the great hall, I am sure we can arrange something for you," he said and walked up the stairs and into the hall.  
Melia followed reluctantly, and looked around the building before taking a seat.  
"You seem fascinated by such a regular building. Did you expect it not be so well kept?"  
"Oh, no. Not at all, Master Bard," she said. "Its just, in all my years I've never been in a Great Hall before," she stuttered. "Its quite an experience.  
Bard laughed a little. "I take from that this is your first search for work, or rehoming?"  
"Yes, Master Bard..."  
A few hours passed, and Melia and Bard exited the hall.  
"So, it is agreed. You will work for my family and I on the condition that you will have a home, and three meals cooked daily on the table. Miss Melia, it will be a pleasure having you," Bard smiked, holding his hand out to shake hers.  
"Alfrid! Take Miss Melia's belongings to my home. Give her the tour of the town, too. Shouldn't take you too long, it is a small town after all."  
"Yes, Sire," he said, snatching the bags from Melia's hands. "Come on! Keep up," he said. "insolent wench," he muttered.  
"What was that, Alfrid?"  
"Nothing, Sire," Alfrid garbled, walking ahead of Melia, meaning that she was in a hurry to catch up with him.  
The Rat and the newly appointed servant to the Mayor and saviour of Laketown arrived at the small home the family resided in. The family of Bard instantly hopped up from their seats, expecting their father to be present, but instead was greeted with Alfrid and this stranger whom they had never met.  
"Alfrid? Who's this, wheres our father?" Bain asked. Bain was only boy and was the middle eldest of the children that Bard had. His sisters, Sigrid and Tilda, stood behind him. "Do you bring bad news of our father," he asked.  
"No, children. I do not," Alfrid spat. "This is Melia, and your father has appointed her as the new house servant."  
"A new servant? But we told our father that we can handle the tasks on our own." Sigrid asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Clearly your father doesn't think so. Make yourself acquainted with each other. And if the Mayor asks - I took you on the tour. I'm not a tour guide. I am the Councillor and Advisor to the Mayor of Laketown!" he exclaimed, sighing and slamming the door after giving Melia her bags (by giving, he threw them past her hands).  
"I've never seen you around Laketown before..." Tilda questioned, shrugging. "How old are you?" she asked.  
"I'm 18, i think I'm much older than all three of you," she said.  
"That's not fair - I've been the oldest for ages!" Tilda murmured.  
"It's not like you're still not the oldest," Melia reassured the daughter. "Now, why don't we become acquainted, because I don't know any of your names yet."  
Bain was first to step forwards. "I'm Bain- I'm the second oldest of the family and I helped my father save the town from the Dragon!" he grinned, shaking her hand.  
Tilda stepped forwards next. "I'm Tilda, I am the oldest of the family." She looked towards her younger sister. "And this is Sigrid, the youngest. She's quite shy, but I'm sure she'll break out of her shell."  
“Well, I'm very happy to have met you all and I'm glad I'll be helping you around the house,” Melia said with a smile. “Does anybody know what room I'd be staying in?”  
“Well, the only room big enough for two people is our father's room, but I don't want to automatically assign you to his room. It may be best to wait for father to return home before you put your things anywhere,” Bain said, shrugging, and as he finished his sentence, Bard had walked into the house, shutting the door behind him with a small slam.  
“Why would you have to wait for father to return?” he asked, taking his ripped and tattered coat off. Melia made a mental note that she'd attempt to repair it later.  
“Well, I wasn't sure where I would be staying because your son had said the only room big enough for two is, well...yours, Master Bard,” she stuttered. “I mean, I am happy staying in any room you have for me as you have already been so kind to give me a job and a roof over my head.”  
“Well, that is indeed true, there is only that room big enough for more than one and it is indeed my own. I don't use my room all that often, so you may use the room to sleep in. I don't sleep much,” he said, walking to the sink and washing his hands of any dirt. “You can take your stuff to the room, Bain, if you could help? There are some vegetables in the basket, some meat somewhere too, I'm sure you can make something out of that?”  
“Thank you, yes, I may be able to make a stew out of it. I should be fine getting my things to my room – your room...our room,” she said, blushing profusely and bundling her bags into her hands and walking for the straight corridor, knocking her bags together. She cursed to herself, getting slightly self-conscious about staying in the town already.  
The room that she'd be staying in was quite large. The whole family could gather into the room and there'd still be enough room. Melia walked to the window, admiring the view and dropping her bags to her feet, gasping a little at the sight. “Beautiful view...” she said to herself. Well, she thought she said to herself.  
“Yes, it is. That's why I'm rarely in here,” a voice came from the doorway, causing Melia to jump practically out of her skin and she turned, seeing the man who gave her the room. “There's no point locking yourself away from the view that's there. We laketown men are not immortal like the elves who live along the river. We cannot afford to not admire where we live,” he said.  
“Elves?” Melia said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and sorting out her bags, packing them under the window neatly.  
“Oh, yes. There are quite a few of them. I've only really had conversation with one – a high elf. He's a King. Thranduil, his name is,” he said.  
“What's he like?”  
“That is a matter of opinion. He has parties often and always has barrels of the finest wine sent to him. He's very pompous...thinks very highly of himself. But that is after knowing and battling a war with him just once,” he said.  
“Well, I don't know if I'll ever get the opportunity to meet him, but I'd very much like to one day.”  
“You may be so lucky to, if you do. He rarely leaves his realm. He sends out guards and elflings to do his work. I was once a vigilante for the dwarves that escaped his cells,” he said, laughing a bit. “Anyway, I shouldn't be keeping you. You have probably got a lot to do.”  
“Yes, I will be down shortly to cook the stew,” she smiled. “I won't need any help before hand so you just sit and relax with your children. They need your company.” She started to sort her things again and tied her hair back. “Also, I noticed your coat was ripped. Do you want me to try to fix it for you?”  
“Oh, if you could fix it, that would be fine. However, don't worry if you can't. The coat is quite old, I doubt any stitches could hold.”  
“I'll give it a try,” she smiled, leaving the room and getting the stew prepared and served.  
The next morning, a rather elegant envelope fluttered on to the floor of the cabin house. ' _Bard of Laketown, You are cordially invited by the elvenking to a festival of celebrations. You may bring a guest of your choice._ '


End file.
